Temporally modulated multi-LED for enhanced subconscious physiological responses

Abstract

A light source and a method of generating a light using the light source is disclosed. The light source is configured to produce a plurality of distinct colors in generating the light, one of the distinct colors falling within a blue spectral light band. A light controller modulates the spectral light produced by the plurality of distinct colors. The modulation provides melanopsin contrast in order to increase melanopsin responsiveness of a subject exposed to the generated light and maintains the color temperature, color quality, and color constancy experienced by the subject in a lit viewing environment within an acceptable range.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]The priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 365,610, filed Jul. 22, 2016, and entitled “Temporally Modulated Multi-LED for Enhanced Subconscious Physiological Responses” is claimed and the entire contents thereof are incorporated by reference herein.STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT SUPPORT[0002]This invention was made with government support under grant numbers EY013934 and EY007003 awarded by the National Institutes of Health. The government has certain rights in this invention.BACKGROUND[0003]The background description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description that may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly nor impliedly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.[0004]Photic stimulation of ret...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]Light is essential for not only visual perception but also the proper regulation of circadian rhythms, alertness and mood. These subconscious, non-image-forming visual responses are mediated by intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs), which use the photopigment melanopsin to sense light. Pulsing light has been shown to reduce photoreceptor adaptation and therefore elicit stronger non-image-forming responses than constant light of comparable energy density.

[0007]The present techniques propose a new paradigm for general lighting that enhances subconscious visual stimulation, by introducing a melanopsin-selective flicker into the light through a silent substitution technique, which minimizes cone-based perception of the flicker.

[0008]In some examples, the techniques use a linear optimization algorithm, although numerous other mathematical optimization frameworks can be employed. The algorithm maximizes contrast of the subconscious, melanopsin-based response function while keeping conscious, cone driven responses to the pulsing light fixed. Additional boundary conditions utilize the lighting industry's standard test color samples (TCS) as an environmental mimic, as well as any specified object color, in order to limit the amount of perceived color change caused by the pulsing light within the viewing environment. For purposes of this application, the term “perceived color” refers to color temperature and brightness or luminosity, as well as other possible light qualities. With the present techniques, newly generated light can help overcome the detrimental effects of insufficient daytime light such as depression and sleep disorders.

[0009]In accordance with an example, a method of generating light using a light source comprises: generating lighting signals for controlling the light source, wherein the light source is configured to produce a plurality of distinct colors in generating the light, one of the distinct colors falling within a blue spectral light band; modulating the lighting signals to modulate the light produced by the plurality of distinct colors, the modulation being chosen to provide optimal melanopsin contrast in order to increase melanopsin responsiveness of a subject exposed to the light and the modulation being chosen to maintain color temperature and color quality within an acceptable range; and applying the modulated lighting signals to the light source and generating the light for increasing the melanopsin contrast responsiveness of the subject exposed to the light.

Problems solved by technology

To date, lighting technologies have been designed to improve energy efficiency and visual comfort, but their physiological effects have been largely overlooked.

Because the recommended illuminance of indoor lighting is typically ≥10-fold lower than outdoor levels, inadequate daytime light exposure has been linked to various morbidities.

As researchers are learning, insufficient daytime light exposure or overexposure during subjective night can result in not only discomfort but also jet lag symptoms, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), and general depressive disorders.

Conversely, boosting daytime blue light exposure can decrease reaction times, increase alertness, and ameliorate SAD symptoms.

But, as researchers are finding, it is unrealistic to promote subconscious photostimulation simply by enhancing blue emission in indoor lighting as that would cause poor color rendering and undesirable color temperature.

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